The present disclosure relates to a step drive for a movable step, such as a folding step or sliding step. The step drive is arranged below a swinging-sliding door. In a lower region of a secondary closing edge, the swinging-sliding door has an opening-out mechanism which is connected to and can be actuated by the door drive.
Steps in rail vehicles are nowadays customarily driven by a dedicated motor or a pneumatic cylinder or rotary cylinder.
DE 42 18 006 discloses a drive device for foldable steps below a swinging-sliding door. The pivoting action of a pivoting roller lever comprising a journal engaging in a guide of the door leaf produces the swinging movement of the door leaf. The pivoting roller lever is coupled to the horizontal drive shaft of the step via a transmission shaft and a bevel gear mechanism. The pivoting roller lever is actuated via a dedicated drive element, for example, in the form of a pneumatic cylinder. The pivoting roller lever is not connected to the door drive arranged in the upper region of the door. The use of two independent drives requires not only an elaborate synchronization of the two drive elements but also incurs considerable costs owing to the respective double design of the drive, levers, cylinders, etc.
DE 20 57365 discloses a folding drive whose horizontal pivot shaft is connected to and controlled by the vertical rotary shaft of a pivoting door, swinging door or pivoting-folding door. An opening-out mechanism for the door in the lower region is not provided.
In a few isolated instances, solutions are also known in which the step is driven via a linkage which operates with a door drive arranged in the roof region of the vehicle.
DE 27 23 995 discloses a folding step for a swinging-sliding door which is connected to and can be pivoted by the door drive via a complicated lever mechanism in the region above the door leaf. A floor-side locking mechanism or opening-out mechanism for the door leaf is not provided. Such a complex lever mechanism connected to the folding step via a rod and a further lever is prone to failure and consequently requires frequent maintenance.
The prior art door drives are thus either directly connected to the door drive arranged in the upper region of the coach body via complicated, failure-prone and cost-incurring mechanisms, or require a dedicated drive synchronized with the door drive. The present disclosure relates to overcoming these disadvantages and providing a step drive which folds down and in, or extends and retracts, reliably with the opening and closing of the door.
According to the present disclosure, a step drive includes an opening-out mechanism that interacts with the step.
The step drive according to the present disclosure makes it possible for the opening-out or locking mechanism in the lower region of the door leaf to be used to drive the step. No additional drives, transmission mechanisms or the like are required. The step is thus brought into the folded-out state, or extended state in the case of sliding steps, at the same time as the door opens, and folds up, or retracts, as the door closes.
A folding step is actuated by a rod which is pivotally mounted on a lever of the opening-out mechanism and on the step.
In the case of sliding steps, the movement is transmitted either directly, for example, via an extension of a lever of the opening-out mechanism, or via connecting elements such as, for example, a lever system.
Other aspects of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following descriptions when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.